Consolidation
Ever feel like the costs of business are going to “nickel and dime” you to death? You’re always prepared for the big expenses; it’s the continuously increasing little ones that leave you frustrated. For example, your utility bill seems to be going up every month, and you find out the company is increasing their rates.
There are always unforeseen costs in business, which require deft, directed execution to sustain. If you’ve got a parking lot in front of your building, it’s going to need repair. Computers need replacement and continuous maintenance. Marketing costs will ebb and flow with profitability, but some echelon of advertisement is always necessary—the list goes on!
In order to be prepared for unexpected costs, and those you knew were coming, find places where you can excise unnecessary operational expenses. Following several areas will be considered where it’s possible to permanently cut costs without losing operational value.
Thought About Solar?
Making the solar switch today is easier than ever, and represents a secure, renewable expense that gives a business autonomy from a grid which is subject to outages. But there are a few misconceptions about solar technology that require addressing.
Firstly, if you go the solar route, you’re going to need a storage receptacle. For a small operation that only has a few employees, you can actually use a car battery for this. Two or three car batteries are ideal. A 100-Watt solar panel can run a laptop, a cellphone, an internet charging device, and a wireless bluetooth speaker pretty much all day—your limitation is battery storage.
Whenever the sun is out, the panel will transfer energy to a given battery. If that battery is small, it can only hold so much charge, and it can only dispense so much energy before it becomes over-discharged. If you sequence two batteries together, you’ll likely seldom if ever run out of energy. With three batteries linked to one panel, you’re looking at essentially continuous energy for two employee workstations.
Crunching The Numbers
A single solar panel kit includes the panel, cables (positive and negative), brackets for mounting, and a charge controller. Some have a battery included as well, but you may have to branch out on your own for that. For such a kit, you’re looking at about $400 and an hour’s worth of installation work. Check this Amazon.com list to get an idea of pricing.
If you’re paying $60 a month on utilities for your business, you’re paying $720 a year. For that price, you can install three panels. Since panels usually come with a ten year warranty, you’re looking at ten years of energy for the price of one. A 100-watt panel is about $100; see what your monthly energy needs are and do the math. The likelihood is, solar will save you in the long run.
Cost-Effective Space
Most businesses require space, small and large. But it isn’t cheap. You’ve either got to buy it or rent it. The solution here is to buy low, and retain value. For this, there’s nothing better than some of today’s modern garage kits.
According to American Steel Span, “adding a new metal garage or storage space to your property can boost your home’s value by as much as 14%, and [prefabricated metal structures] consistently retain their value.” Like the solar panels, such kits can be assembled by you on your property, further curtailing costs. There are a broad array of prefabricated structures, too; not simply garage kits.
Lowering Expenses and Retaining Independence
It’s easier to save money than you think, it just requires a well-directed initial investment. But if done right, between solar panels and prefabricated metal structures, you can knock thousands from your yearly budget.
Kevin Bennett
Title: SEO Marketeer
Kevin is an SEO marketeer with OutreachMama and Youth Noise who designs value-rich content aimed at increasing clientele for expanding businesses. Networking, building partnerships, and providing quality products with shareable value make this possible. He’s an author (Amphibian and The Thief and the Sacrifice to his credit) whose professional writing follows business trends in technology, marketing, SEO application, and much more.
Potato Balance:
https://pixabay.com/en/coins-calculator-budget-1015125/
Solar Panel:
https://pixabay.com/en/solar-cells-sun-energy-power-1218453/
